Chapter XXXIV.

Showing How A Man Should Seek The Wisdom Of God By Prayer; Containing
Also A Useful Treatise On Prayer, Wherein The Reader Is
Taught How The Heart Is To Be Moved Unto Prayer, And Brought
Into A Quiet Sabbath, So That Prayer May Be Wrought In Us By The
Lord; The Whole Being Set Forth In Twelve Sections.

Section I.

All That We Have Lost In Adam We Recover Fully And Completely In
Christ.

In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.—Col. 2:3.

In the beginning God formed man out of the dust of the earth, and
breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living and immortal
soul, adorned with perfect wisdom,
righteousness, holiness, and blessedness, after the image of his Creator.
For where there is divine wisdom, there is blessedness; and where there
is blessedness there is divine wisdom. Man, therefore, wanted nothing in
Paradise to make him completely happy. But when, being seduced by
the temptation of the serpent, he turned away from God, and fell into
sin, then was this divine image in man effaced, and he became subject
to the devil, to death, and to misery. For as soon as this divine image was
defaced in him by sin, he could discover
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nothing in himself but misery, blindness, and the curse.

2. But in order that Adam, that is, all men in Adam, might not utterly
perish, God himself was made man; that is, he was pleased to send his
Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a virgin. The Son of
God has, by his holy life and doctrine, as by a pattern, shown us again the
way of wisdom and salvation in which we are to walk. For he has not only
delivered us from our sins by his most bitter death, but has moreover given
us a commandment, that “we should walk, even as he also walked.” 1 John
2:6.

3. We are, therefore, begotten again by him, through faith, to be the sons
of God; nay, we are made sons of God in and with his own Son. For
“as he is, so are we also in this world.” 1 John 4:17.

4. In this Son “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.”
For whatsoever was lost in Adam, is perfectly to be found in Christ. Rom.
5:18, 19.

5. If we would, in this life, have a foretaste of these great and glorious
treasures, it must be obtained by
prayer, diligent searching, and continual knocking. For no man can
have admission into the kingdom of God, unless he walk in the new birth,
and seek it earnestly of God. No man can be delivered from the power of
sin and the devil, unless he repent, and offer up his prayers in the name
of Christ. For though Christ has purchased for us all good things, yet
without faith no man can be partaker of them; in and by faith he must also
pray, seek, and knock. In a word, it is by prayer only that we can obtain
those “good and perfect gifts which come down from above, from the
Father of lights.” James 1:17.

A PRAYER.

O Eternal God and Father, teach me, I beseech thee, by thy Holy
Spirit, that even as I have lost all by dying in Adam, so I may recover all
by being made alive again in Christ. Grant that I may daily die to myself,
by continual mortification and repentance, and devote and give myself
up entirely to thee; that so all the good things which I have lost
may be restored to me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Section II.

The Evils That Follow The Neglect Of
Prayer.

Ye have not, because ye ask
not.—James 4:2.

1. The neglect of prayer is a violation
of the commandments of Christ, who commands us to “pray without
ceasing” (Matt. 7:7; Luke 18:1), not for His sake, for he well knows what
we stand in need of (Matt. 6:32); but for our own, that we may have a portion
of the treasures and inheritance of God. He that lives in the neglect of
prayer is a breaker of the first and
second commandments, even as to blaspheme God is to bring voluntary destruction
upon himself.

2. He that neglects the duty of
prayer is a despiser of the promises
annexed to the performance of that duty. “Call upon me, and I will deliver
thee” (Ps. 50:15); “Ask, and ye shall receive” (John 16:24); for he
thereby represents God as unmindful
of his promises, or as not able to fulfil them.

3. By the neglect of prayer, our faith, which is the great treasure and
foundation of the inward man, by degrees
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decays and perishes. For not by the arm or power of flesh, but by
faith in Christ, can we conquer sin, death, and the devil. 1 John 5:4.
Prayer is the nourishment of faith; and this is that wisdom and eternal
life which we must seek for by diligent prayer.

4. The Lord Jesus departs from them that despise prayer; so that
they are blinded and walk in darkness, knowing neither themselves nor
God, but are strangers to his will. They shut the kingdom of heaven
against themselves; and, being destitute of light to know the will of God,
they fall into many dangers and temptations, and sometimes into despair:
whereas, on the contrary, where there are the Holy Spirit and faith,
there the world is overcome.

5. He that neglects prayer enters into a state of carnal security, and
every kind of iniquity. Such a man is not sensible how deeply he is engaged
in sin; but rushes into all the avenues of destruction which lie open
to receive him. The good things of this world which God has given him,
such as health and riches, he regards as things that come by chance, or are
secured by his own labor; and upon that account he has no gratitude to
his Creator and Benefactor.

6. As man, since his fall, is exposed to continual dangers, both of body
and soul, so is he particularly in danger from the devil, evil spirits,
and wicked men, who, like the devil, are continually plotting the destruction
of the righteous. Whosoever, therefore, neglects prayer, will be, in
the midst of these temptations, like a ship tost in a storm, without help or
hopes of escape.

7. Such a one also leads a most unhappy life; he is in continual difficulties
and fears, being perplexed, doubtful, and uneasy about the success
of his affairs. His head and hands are full of business; yet he
sees but little fruit of his labors, and
even that little is in the end unblessed. Therefore, though the Scripture says
that “the wicked may be seen in great power,” yet it adds, “they pass
away, and are not.” Ps. 37:35, 36. They are “like the chaff which the
wind driveth away.” Ps. 1:4. On the other hand, they that seek unto God
by prayer “shall flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”
Ps. 92:12. And “though many are the afflictions of the righteous”
(Ps. 34:19), yet the wicked undergo more pain and trouble to go to hell
than the righteous do to obtain heaven.

A PRAYER.

Most merciful and compassionate Father, thou knowest that man renders
himself miserable by his own negligence and sloth, whilst he transgresses
thy commands, and neglects the duty of prayer, contemning and
slighting thy most certain and faithful promises. But because thou lovest
thy creatures, and art not willing that any should perish, therefore it is that
thou dost so earnestly invite us to the exercise of prayer. Give me grace
to lay this continually to heart, that I may be able to offer up my prayers
aright, through thy Son Jesus Christ, and be delivered from the punishments
and miseries due to the despisers of that holy duty. Amen.

Section III.

The Benefits Of Continual Prayer.

Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy
may be full.—John 16:24.

1. Man, since his fall, is become slothful and inactive in everything that is
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good. He, therefore, that would escape this unhappy state, and the destruction
that will certainly attend it, must stir himself up by prayer; and by holy
meditation conquer his aversion to divine things, and devoutly consider
with himself the advantages of prayer.
Let him reflect, that he thereby praises, honors, and adores the eternal, living,
and true God; that he does not worship any strange God; but offers up his
most earnest supplications to the only one and true God, whose commands,
like an obedient child, he ought to obey, and show forth the praises of
his Creator, Father, and Saviour.

2. He that prays does not despise the promises of God, but testifies by
his prayers that he sets a just value upon them, acknowledging that God
is true, and that he neither can nor will lie.

3. Prayer is the life of faith, causing it to flourish and prosper like a tree
by the river side, and faith is the root of all that is good in us. Faith is our
power, our spiritual consolation, our strength against all our enemies and
temptations, yea, faith is our “victory that overcometh the world” (1 John
5:4); and consequently everything else that opposes and hinders us in
our spiritual warfare.

4. By prayer, we receive the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13; Zech. 12:10. By
prayer, we make room for the Holy Spirit to work and exert his power in
us, and by this means to come and make his abode with us. John 14:23.
By prayer, we obtain the true light and knowledge of God, so as perfectly
to understand his will; and, by prayer,
we abide in his kingdom, and are partakers of the blessings of heaven.

5. By prayer, we shake off carnal
security, resist sin, and, by vanquishing flesh and blood, “fight the good
fight, and hold faith and a good conscience.” 1 Tim. 1:19; 6:12.

6. By prayer, we oppose temptations, dangers, afflictions, the devil,
and wicked men. For prayer is a strong tower of defence against our
enemies, and the holy fortress to which we must have recourse (Eph. 6:18;
Prov. 18:10; Ps. 31:3); and though the devil and wicked men raise the
greatest opposition, yet “all things work together for good to them that
love God.” Rom. 8:28.

7. Lastly, he that continually watches
unto prayer may always thankfully rejoice in the Holy Ghost; according to
the doctrine of St. Paul, “Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything
give thanks.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18. For the comfortable addresses made
to God, the eternal King, by prayer, are an effectual remedy against sorrow,
trouble, misery, and affliction; and produce joy, peace, and tranquillity
in the hearts of the faithful; and when our prayers are right, we are
assured that all our righteous designs shall prosper in our hands “whilst
we cast our care upon God.” 1 Pet. 5:7. “The Lord is at hand. Be careful
for nothing.” Phil. 4:5, 6. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust
also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.” Ps. 37:5. For all solicitude
arises from a distrust of God, which naturally proceeds from the
neglect of prayer. On the contrary, faith and prayer give us confidence
towards God, and are the proper antidote against all anxiety and trouble
of mind.

A PRAYER.

Help me, O Lord my God, that I may continually call to mind, that it
is for my own sake that thou invitest and urgest me to the exercise of prayer.
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Do thou rouse me, and I shall arise; awaken thou me, and I shall awake,
and follow Christ alone. Amen.

Section IV.

The True Christian Chooses The Narrow Way In Christ, Rather Than The
Broad Way In Adam.

We glory in tribulations.—Rom. 5:3.

1. The Scripture teaches us that when Adam was placed in Paradise,
God showed him the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and forbade him
to eat of it (Gen. 2:9, 17); so that Adam was thus placed between time
and eternity. Life and death, light and darkness (Deut. 30:15), were set before
him, that he might qualify himself for eternal glory in the narrow way.
Our case is just the same. For since the fall of Adam, Christ comes to us,
and endeavors to draw us from the broad way in Adam, to the narrow
way, which is himself; and this he
does gently and without violence, resolving to force no man either to his
salvation or his condemnation. He shows us the way by his prevenient
grace, which is bestowed on all men without exception. Christ now says,
“Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction; and many there be that go in thereat. Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it.” Matt. 7:13, 14.

2. Here we plainly see two paths set before us: the one is the way of
the world, in which many walk, because they continue in Adam, and refuse
Christ; the other is the way of God, in which few walk, because they
prefer the broad way in Adam. Many are the difficulties which attend both
these paths. If you conform yourself to the world, you will meet with many
troubles and vexations; and, not being established in the truth of God, your
lot finally is eternal damnation. But if you enter into the way of God through
Christ, and persevere in prayer, you must expect to suffer with Christ, from
the opposition of this evil world: but, at the same time, your heart shall be
constantly filled with the refreshing consolations of the Spirit of truth, and
in the end, you shall obtain everlasting life. 2 Tim. 2:11, 12; 3:12.

3. He that prays, fights against the devil and his own corrupt nature;
overcomes himself, the devil, and all the enemies of his salvation; and shall
at last with Christ, the Captain of his
salvation (Heb. 2:10), enter into everlasting rest.

4. But he that lives in the neglect of prayer, makes no progress in the
conquest of his spiritual enemies; but is a miserable slave of the world, and
shall at last, with the prince of darkness, be condemned to everlasting
misery.

5. It is better to fight now, and to enter triumphantly into everlasting
glory, than not to fight, and yet endure many afflictions, and at last be
doomed to everlasting destruction.

A PRAYER.

Oh that men would but consider these things! They would then loathe
and despise this present world; would hate and deny themselves, and would
follow Christ alone, in the narrow way of the cross. That we may, therefore,
seriously lay these things to heart; that we may renounce the old
Adam within us, and put on the new man, Christ Jesus: and at last,
through the narrow way, enter into
everlasting life, may God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Section V.

Considerations Which Should Move The Heart To Commune With God In Prayer.

Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a
God afar off?—Jer. 23:23.

1. It is of great use to us, to have before us certain heads which may serve
as encouragements to the exercise of earnest prayer, which is that worship
in spirit and in truth, which God requires of all his servants.

2. I. First, then, we must consider that “God knows what things we
have need of, before we ask him.” Matt. 6:8.

3. II. That God draws, invites, and encourages us to the exercise of prayer,
and assuredly promises that he will hear our prayers. Ps. 50:15.

4. III. That God is no respecter of persons, but has an equal regard for
all mankind. Acts 10:34.

5. IV. That he is as sinful who presumes to pray upon the opinion of his
own righteousness, merit, and holiness, as he that is afraid to pray out of a
sense of his own sins and unworthiness. Luke 18:11, 14.

6. V. That God is not confined to any certain place, where only we
ought to worship him; but that he is everywhere to be found, and is always
“nigh to them that call upon him.” John 4:21, 22; Ps. 145:18.

7. VI. That God is, in his own eternity, unchangeable, and not confined
to any certain time; but is always attentive to the prayers of his
servants. 1 Thess. 5:17.

8. VII. That God anticipates our prayers, and gives us both natural and
supernatural blessings, which yet, without prayer, nobody can truly
enjoy.

9. These considerations will renew and awaken every soul that shall duly
attend to them (Eph. 5:14): they will cleanse them from darkness and error;
establish them on the foundation of truth; elevate them towards God;
and inflame them with a lively devotion. For from them flow the following
lessons:

10. I. That God commands and encourages us to pray, not for His own
sake, as if He were ignorant of our wants, but for our sakes, that being
quickened by prayer we might know and acknowledge them ourselves.

11. II. That God does not stand in need of any minute declarations of
our necessities, but knows, even before we ask him, what things we have
need of. Isa. 65:24; Ps. 139:2.

12. III. That God, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, needs not to be
awakened by our cries, fastings, and watchings; but that these exercises
are profitable for man, to awaken and rouse him from the sleep of sin. Ps.
33:18; 34:15.

13. IV. That God is a thousand times more ready to give, than man is
to receive. Jer. 32:41.

14. V. That the goodness and mercy of God towards mankind are infinite
(Ps. 103:12), but that the negligence and sloth of men in praying, seeking,
and knocking, are excessive. Matt. 7:7.

15. VI. That God is impartial and just in all his works, and is by no
means the cause of our blindness, infirmities, ignorance, or miseries; but
that wretched man himself is in fault, by neglecting to pray or to seek.
Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15.

16. VII. That the true worshipper
may at all times and in all places, offer up his prayers in spirit and in
truth to God the Father, through
Christ, provided he do not hinder himself. John 4:21, 23; Luke 18:1, etc.

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17. VIII. That whosoever neglects prayer, deprives himself of the blessed
opportunities of speaking to God. Ps.
19:14. Thus the sinner inflicts punishment on himself.

18. IX. That the diligent worshipper doeth good to himself; not of himself
but by the prevenient grace of God, which is freely given to all men
without exception.

19. Let him that is unacquainted with the preceding heads of meditation,
know that he is still far from Christ, and has tasted but little of the
truth. He who knows them, and believes them not, is guilty of a very
great sin; and, lastly, he that believes them and yet is inactive, and does not
stir up himself to the practice of them, but, on the other hand, lives on
from day to day, in a state of doubt and indifference, is a great sinner, and
shall be beaten with many more stripes than he who knew not his Lord's will,
and therefore did it not. Luke 12:47.
Let the one last mentioned look carefully to himself, that he may be seriously
converted, and not perish in his sins.

A PRAYER.

O Lord, and merciful Father, awaken me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may
not only know those things, but may
practise them by a lively faith, and become a true worshipper in spirit and
in truth. Amen.

Section VI.

The Omniscient God Knows What We Stand In Need Of, Before We Ask Him.

Thou understandest my thought afar
off.—Ps. 139:2.

1. The truth of these words is confirmed by our blessed Saviour: “Your
Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matt. 6:8);
and by David: “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?” (Ps. 94:9);
and by St. Paul: “He is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.” Heb. 4:12. For our God is not as man, who stands in need of a
long account of our necessities. All the possible successions of time are in
his sight but as one single moment, in which all things, both past and to
come, are beheld as actually present. Therefore, he numbered the hairs of
our heads before we were born, and understands all our thoughts before
we pray. In a word, all things are naked and open in his sight. Heb. 4:
13. These and similar meditations may be of use, for the encouragement of
those who begin the exercise of prayer; so that they may always have certain
sentences of Scripture ready at hand, upon which they may meditate, and
which they may apply to themselves, by comprising the sense of them in a
short prayer. This will be easily understood by those that are exercised
herein.

2. A man that walks abroad in an open spacious field, and in a clear day,
finds himself encompassed with light;
which light, if it were spiritual, instead of being natural, would even
penetrate the spirit itself. Just so are all creatures, visible and invisible, in
the sight of God. He discerns and comprehends all things, and nothing
can be hidden from him. “The darkness hideth not from him; but the
night shineth as the day.” Ps. 139:12. He himself is the all-seeing eye, to
whom all things are as clear as a mote in transparent crystal would be to our
bodily eyes.

3. This consideration is of great use to the inexperienced, in order to purge
their hearts from the thick clouds of darkness and error, and to quicken
them in prayer; by which, when truly
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roused and awakened, we discover many great and noble truths that had
hitherto been hidden from our eyes. Many are apt to think, that God knows
and sees no more than they themselves do; which is the effect of egregious
blindness and ignorance, and will merit a proportionable punishment. Ps. 7:9.

A PRAYER.

Almighty and everlasting God and Father, the Searcher of hearts, and
the Judge of all our secret thoughts, who seest, knowest, and hearest all
our designs and purposes before they are brought to pass! Behold, I appear
before thee, to confess my necessities, not with any design to awaken thee
by my cries, as if thou wert ignorant of me, or of my concerns; but to stir
up myself to know and consider, that thou knowest all my necessities, and
that the very hairs of my head are numbered by thee. Assist me, Holy
Father, that I may truly know and consider these things, that my soul
may joyfully submit to thy good pleasure, and that I may wait upon
thee in true resignation and obedience. Amen.

Section VII.

That God Invites And Engages All Men To The Exercise Of Prayer, And Promises
To Hear Their Petitions.

Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall
be delivered.—Joel 2:32.

1. These words ought to be carefully considered; for it is not sufficient to
believe that God knows all things; we must also remember that God commands
us to pray, and promises to hear us. Thus, “Whatsoever ye shall
ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” John 16:23. “Everyone
that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that
knocketh, it shall be opened.” Matt. 7:8. “Men ought always to pray, and
not to faint.” Luke 18:1. “If any one lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given
him.” James 1:5. “If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth
us.” 1 John 5:14. “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing,
ye shall receive.” Matt. 21:22. In all these places, both a command
and a promise are expressed; which must needs make an impression upon
every man that has not a heart of stone; and he that does not believe
them, is in a desperate state, and deserves not the name of a man. But
if these things are true, and acknowledged to be so, why do we not believe
them? Why do we not pray? Why are not our prayers heard? Why do
we not receive the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit? Verily, because we
do not pray with faith, nor wait upon
God with constancy and patience. For the property of true faith is to submit
ourselves to God, in a quiet and peaceful resignation of mind; but he that
wavers, is unfaithful and inconstant, and makes his own prayers void.
Moreover, he denies the truth and power of God, making him either
unable or unwilling to supply our
wants. Both these are signs of a perverse spirit.

2. On the other hand, faith gives quietness to the soul, and makes it
capable of divine grace. God requires nothing from man but that he should
be quiet, and rest from all his works, and especially from himself. The
spirit and mind of man are like waters,
upon which the Spirit of God is perpetually moving. Gen. 1:2. So soon
as our spirit is quiet, and at rest from the impetuous motions of worldly
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thoughts, then God rests upon it, and speaks forth the word of his power
into such quiet and still waters; and the moment of this divine influx is
of more value than the whole world. Still waters are easily warmed by the
sun, but violent and rapid streams seldom or never. Unbelief sacrilegiously
robs God of his honor, destroying the very names of faith and truth.
This changes the Christian into a
heathen and atheist, and, unless repented of, will lead to his everlasting
destruction.

A PRAYER.

O Eternal, faithful, and righteous God, who canst not lie; I know that
thou dost graciously invite, encourage,
and impel all men, for their own infinite advantage, to pray unto thee;
and dost offer thy grace and mercy equally to them all, without distinction
or partiality. Grant, I beseech thee, Holy Father, that I may seriously lay
these things to heart, and attain a true, firm, and upright faith, and not
be deaf to the invitations of thy infinite mercy; but may constantly and
cheerfully submit myself to thee, and expect with patience thy light within
my soul. Amen.

Section VIII.

God Is No Respecter Of Persons, But Has An Impartial Love For All His Creatures.

The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies
are over all his works.—Ps. 145:9.

1. I am now indeed convinced (some one may say), that God knows my
necessities better than I can discover them to him; that he has commanded
prayer, and promised to hear it: but I am not yet fully satisfied, whether I
in particular am not excluded from the benefit of these promises?—Come,
then, and let us now show that God is no respecter of persons, in opposition
to those blind guides, who, by their false interpretations of some places of
Holy Scripture, particularly Rom. 9:13, Mal. 1:2, and the like, have endeavored
to prove that God has an aversion to some particular persons,
and a partial fondness for others; contrary to the plain and indisputable
testimonies of Holy Scripture, which we ought firmly to fix in our minds,
that we may not be perverted by the false glosses of unreasonable men.

“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every
nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with
him.” Acts 10:34, 35.

“The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a
mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the
stranger, in giving him food and raiment.” Deut. 10:17, 18.

“As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.—As for the
wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth
from his wickedness.—None of his sins
that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him.” Ezek. 33:11, 12, 16.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit,
for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might
show forth all long-suffering, for a
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pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on him to life everlasting.”
1 Tim. 1:15, 16.

“God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth.” 1 Tim. 2:4.

“God is not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9.

These and such testimonies of Scripture ought to be deeply imprinted on
our minds, that every one may know, that all men are equally dear to God;
that all men were created by him according to his image, and redeemed
by Jesus Christ. Moreover, God has sworn by himself, that he desires not
the death of a sinner. Hence God assists us all by his prevenient grace,
not waiting till we are worthy to receive it. He comes to us, before we
come to him; he knew us, before we knew him; he loveth us, before we
love him; he loved us while we were yet his enemies. Rom. 5:10. He,
therefore, is blind and impious, who dares assert that God does not love
all men alike. Such a one scorns the God of heaven, accuses him of injustice,
and makes him a respecter of persons.

2. But when it is said that God loved Jacob, and hated Esau (Rom.
9:13), such language is not to be understood of them personally, or as
indicating only hatred, but refers to the exclusion from the inheritance in
the land of promise—not to a hatred which refuses salvation, but to the
refusal of temporal blessings. And though we are all sinners, yet God
has a greater regard for those that love him than for those that continue
in their sins and blindness, neither acknowledging God for their Father, nor
bringing forth the fruits of repentance. God takes no pleasure in the wickedness
of these men; but rather desires that all should be saved. And whereas
it is said that “he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will
he hardeneth” (Rom. 9:18); we must know that he hardeneth none but those
who by their unbelief and impenitence have hardened themselves. These, indeed,
he does at length, with reluctance, leave to themselves; and being
thus forsaken, they naturally fall into a state of entire obduracy. And
whereas it is said, that “it is not of him that runneth, but of God that
sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16); it is plain that God doth elect and anticipate
us by his grace, and not we ourselves, and that he is the Author and
Giver of all our graces; so that whatsoever good we do, is owing to him,
and not to ourselves.

3. This is the true interpretation of those places, which some perverse
minds have interpreted, as if God had decreed to damn a great part of mankind
(as the poets feigned of Saturn,
who hated and devoured his own children). This is a doctrine that tends
directly to subvert our faith, and to precipitate men into despair, or into
a rude, lawless and Epicurean mode of life, as appears by woful experience.
From all which snares, and deceits of the devil, may the Lord deliver us!
Amen.

A PRAYER.

O Eternal and most righteous God, who acceptest not the persons of men;
but art so just in thy dispensations towards us all, as to anticipate us with
thy grace and favor, not waiting till we are already worthy, but bestowing
thy prevenient grace to make us so; teach me, by thy Holy Spirit, gratefully
to acknowledge thy boundless mercy towards us. Let thy light arise
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in my heart, that I may not, with the wicked world, disown that grace which
thou hast already bestowed upon me, which is that treasure hidden in the
field, the earnest of the inheritance of the saints; but may diligently search
after it, find it, taste it, and enjoy it. Amen.

Section IX.

Showing That It Is Equally Sinful To Pray To God Upon The Presumption Of
Our Own Merit, And To Forbear On Account Of Our Unworthiness.

Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy
sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy
son.—Luke 15:21.

1. He that prays upon the presumption of his own holiness and piety,
walketh not in the direct and plain path of the children of God; but turns
to the right hand, outruns his Saviour,
and, like a sacrilegious robber, deprives him of the honor due unto him (since
He alone is our righteousness, our holiness, and our sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30),
and depends entirely upon his own unprofitable works; not acknowledging
the merit of Christ alone, but depending upon human righteousness,
and believing that God hears our prayers, not for the sake of Jesus
Christ, but for the sake of man's good works. But this is directly contrary
to Scripture. “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall
stand?—But with the Lord there is
mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.” Ps. 130:3, 7. A man may
as well say, that the operation of his eyes causes the light of the sun, as
that his own righteousness is the cause of his receiving the grace of God.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elias, &c., were all saved by grace; all joining in that
petition, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, &c.” Ps.
143:2.

2. He, on the other hand, that neglects to pray from a sense of his
manifold transgressions, judging himself upon that account unworthy to
speak to God, turns to the left hand,
and sinks in his own misery and unworthiness, affronting the Son of God,
and (without repentance) running into
despair; whilst he thinks that the passion and death of Christ are not sufficient
to atone for the sins of the whole world. Against this temptation, let
us call to mind, that “where sin abounded, there grace did much more
abound.” Rom. 5:20. For our misery
appeals to the mercy of God, our weakness to his power, our unworthiness
to his majesty, our unrighteousness to his righteousness.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Tim.
1:15.

“As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezek. 33:11.

“There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” Rom.
8:1.

“As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in
the day that he turneth from his wickedness.” Ezek. 18:21; 33:12.

“For this (the remission of sins) shall every one that is godly pray.”
Ps. 32:6.

3. If I resolve not to pray till I
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know myself to be worthy, I shall certainly never do it at all. And if
I should not desire God to bestow upon me his grace and favor, till by
my own strength I became just and holy, I should never obtain anything.
Alas, poor man, what canst thou bestow upon him who standeth not in
need of thy gifts? Rom. 11:35. Or what canst thou obtain by the workings
of thy corrupt nature, which, however specious in thine own eyes,
are of no value in the sight of God? Rom. 3:24. Verily, nothing at all.
Away, then, with all those who glory in their own righteousness, and pretend
to justify themselves; yea, let all creatures keep silence before God.
Thine own worthiness will here avail thee nothing, and thine unworthiness
shall do thee no harm; for the Lord Jesus Christ, thy Saviour, is he that
“forgiveth thy unrighteousness, and covereth all thy sin.” Ps. 32:1. But
rather conclude with thyself, that as a drop of water is swallowed up in
the sea, so are all thy transgressions in the boundless and incomprehensible
mercies of Jesus Christ.

A PRAYER.

O Merciful and compassionate Father! who teachest me in thy holy
word how I ought, in thy Son Jesus Christ, to walk in the narrow way,
turning neither to the right hand nor to
the left; that I may neither fall through a vain presumption of my own piety,
nor be cast into despair by the gloomy prospect of my guilt, and so die in my
sins; grant that I may seriously consider that neither my good works can
merit, nor my sins hinder, the grace of Christ, my Redeemer; that so I
may continue firm and steadfast amidst all my temptations; that I
may neither be misled by the evil spirit of presumption and spiritual
pride that walketh at noonday, nor be afraid of the destroying angel of
despair that walketh in darkness; but that, having conquered the weakness
of my nature, I may continue steadfast in the faith, filled with spiritual
joy and consolation. Let thy grace, blessed Lord Jesus, begin, carry on,
and perfect this good work in me. Amen.

Section X.

The True Worshipper Ought Not To Seek After God In Any Particular Place;
For He Finds Him Everywhere In
Spirit And In Truth.

The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the
Father. The true worshippers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth.—John 4:21, 23.

1. Where shall we find God? Jer. 23:23. Must we look for him in consecrated
temples? Must we seek him in the ends of the earth? Must we
search for him in the stars, or at Jerusalem, or upon the top of Mount Tabor?
No! but “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23) seek and find him. We
are, indeed, sometimes forced to the fatigue of long journeys, in order to
make our complaints, and beg the protection of the princes of this
world; but God is everywhere; “He filleth heaven and earth” (Jer. 23:24),
and is nearer to all creatures than they are to themselves. “He is
above all, and through all, and in us all.” Eph. 4:6. The utmost dimensions
of space, and even the boundless extent of eternity, appear to him as
but a single point. Ps. 139:7. As a man that walks at noonday, in an
open field, is environed with light, whether he discern it or be blind, so
are all creatures surrounded with the presence of God. These are the waters
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upon which the Spirit of God moves, penetrating through all beings and all
spirits, though ever so pure and glorious. God is always near to us, though
many are not so to him, having no more perception of the communications
of his presence than a blind man has of the light, which he sees not,
though surrounded by it. God never turns away from us; but we, being
turned away from him, fall into that degree of blindness, as to say, that
God has withdrawn himself from us, and is become unkind to us; whereas,
the change is only in ourselves, and in our own hearts, by which we are
tempted to charge God foolishly. Thus the sinner, by turning away
from God, becomes his own tormentor; whilst God continues unchangeably
just and good in all his works (Ps. 145:8); however often
man, being blinded and turned away from God, may represent him as an
angry, unjust, and unmerciful being.

2. Hence, then, we may gather the genuine sense of those passages of
Scripture, which say that “the kingdom of God is within us,” and not without
us (Luke 17:21), and that we have nothing to do with “them that are
without.” 1 Cor. 5:12. These, without all dispute, are not to be understood
of any external place, but of the spirit or inward man, according to the
faith. To confine the kingdom of God to any certain place, is antichristian,
even as our blessed Lord has told us that men will say, “Lo, here is Christ,
or lo, there.” Matt. 24:23. But if any place could save or condemn a
man, then Lucifer himself could never have become a devil in heaven; nor
would Adam ever have sinned in paradise. So if any place would condemn
a man, then should no man living be saved; since this whole world lieth in
darkness, and all the inhabitants thereof are under the dominion of
the devil, who is the prince of it. John 12:31. He therefore that has
faith, though with Jonah he were in the depths of the sea, yet would be in
the kingdom of God; and he that has it not, though he were in the church,
heard sermons, and would join in acts of communion, yet in the sight of God
he is without, and has no part in, or title to, the kingdom of God.

A PRAYER.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who art the only way, light, and gate of heaven, I
praise thee from the bottom of my heart, that by this meditation, thou
teachest me how I am in thee, and thou in me, in whatsoever place I am;
how thou, my true and only High Priest, art with me, and deliverest me
from my sins, whensoever I lift up my heart to thee. Though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
Teach me, O Lord, always to acknowledge this, and not after the manner of
this ungrateful world, to undervalue or despise this hidden treasure; but
that I may in true faith seek, find, taste, and enjoy it. Amen.

Section XI.

The Worshipper Is Not Restricted To Certain Times Of Prayer, But May At
Any Hour Address God In Prayer, Provided
That He Does Not Hinder Himself.

In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a
day of salvation have I helped thee.—Seek ye the
Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him
while he is near.—Isa.
49:8; 55:6. Behold,
now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day
of salvation.—2 Cor. 6:2.

1. From what has been already said
concerning the place, and what we are now observing further upon that head,
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it is plain, that he is truly happy who is in the kingdom of God. The reason
of this is, because he has the treasure within him, wheresoever he is; and
that he, who, through unbelief, is not in the kingdom of God, is truly a
stranger and foreigner, however he may with other Christians, hear sermons
and receive the Sacrament. The
place will neither save us nor condemn us; that can be done by nothing
but faith or unbelief existing in the heart and spirit of man. The true
Christian, in whatever place he lives, as he has the Spirit of Christ within
him, so he has, by consequence, a principle of grace, pardon, and remission
of sins; for Christ is in him. I speak not this to discourage the external
exercise of preaching; but for the
comfort of all sincere souls under necessities, sickness, or in strange lands;
when they are assured that they are truly in Christ, that Christ is in them,
and that they are not “without” but “within.” This should also alarm the
sinner, who, though living among Christians, yet, in the sight of God is
excluded. For every unbeliever cuts himself off from the body of Christ,
and from the most valuable privileges of his communion; so that a wicked
man, under the agonies of sickness, would receive no benefit by having
the Holy Sacrament, though the priest, or even the pope himself stood
by him; or by being brought and laid in the midst of the church. But if a
man has within him a true and living faith, it could do him no harm, though
he should die in a heathen country, or on the sea, without the comfort of the
Holy Sacrament, or a priest; because Jesus Christ, the true High Priest, is
in him, and even the kingdom of God, as our blessed Lord abundantly testifies
John 4:21; Luke 17:21; Matt. 24:23. How blind then and miserable
are those men who seek for blessedness from man, confining it to a
certain place, and look to external things. This, however, is the case
with many thousands who thus lose the internal treasure. Externals are
but means, which though not to be despised, yet are not to be valued as the
end itself, to which they are intended to lead. Christ is the great treasure
of man, who can bestow himself without the use of means, where they cannot
be had. We come together in the church, that with one accord we may
exhort and admonish one another in the divine Presence, call upon God to
avert public evils and calamities, and exercise one another in divine matters,
that so we, who are otherwise totally blind in spiritual things, being excited
by these means, may at length understand and see that God is not contained
“in the heaven of heavens” (1 Kings 8:27), nor confined to any
place; being, as Job witnesseth, “high as heaven, deeper than hell,
longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.” Job 11:8, 9.

2. What we have observed of place,
may be also applied to time, to which the eternal and unchangeable God is
by no means confined, so as not to be always at liberty to hear our prayers.
Great men and princes of this world are not always to be spoken with, and
frequently refuse admittance to their petitioners; being engaged either by
the necessities or diversions of life. But our God cannot be thus separated
from his creatures; at one view, He sees, and hears, and considers all
things that are done upon the earth, and “understandeth our thoughts afar
off.” Ps. 139:2. He numbereth “the very hairs of our heads” (Matt. 10:30);
and “a thousand years in his sight
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are but as one day.” Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8. God is not capable of alteration
or change; is confined to no time, limited by no place, always ready to
hear and to help us; yea, he is continually “standing at the door, and
knocking, that we may open to him.” Rev. 3:20. So that he is always ready,
but we are not. Whereas if we would constantly and without ceasing wait
for Him, we should never fail to receive a ready answer to all our prayers.

3. But alas! the concerns of this lower world have so great an influence
upon our minds, distracting our thoughts, and withholding us from devout
retirement, that we must endeavor to purify our minds from all thoughts
of the creature, according to a devout writer, who advises us, “to lay aside
all thoughts of this or that thing, time or place, and bring all the powers
of our souls into profound repose.” And in this sabbath or rest of the
soul, in this quiet cessation from the cares and labors of corrupt nature,
when we pray, God descends with his
living word, and the soul of man perceives and tastes the truth and love
of God; of which, before this patient preparation, it was wholly ignorant
and insensible. So that the soul cannot forbear crying out in the words: “The
Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth!” (Exod. 34:6.)
“Now, I find thy prevenient grace helping my infirmities, and assisting me to
pray as I ought.” Then thou wilt be amazed at the blindness of thy own
heart, which gave thee so imperfect a notion of God, as to believe that God
was to be persuaded with external ceremonies, and clamorous prayers,
and that he stood in need of a long relation of thy wants and necessities;
whereas He sees to the very bottom of thy soul, and “understandeth all
thy thoughts afar off.”

A PRAYER.

Almighty, eternal, and most merciful God and Father! Thy goodness
and truth are higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea, wider than the
earth; all places are to Thee the same, and in thy sight all times are alike.
Thou art above all places and all times, and yet dost penetrate and fill
all things. Thou art nearer to me than I am to myself; thou anticipatest
me with thy grace, and embracest me with thy mercy, which, through my
blindness and misery, I could neither know nor hope for. Grant, that by
thy Holy Spirit, I may seriously lay these things to heart, and for the
future, look up to thee as my merciful Father, who knowest all things, and
art present at all times, and in all places, that I may no more presume
to judge of Thee by any natural blindness, and no more persuade myself
that Thou art to be awakened, or prevailed upon by my crying; that
thou needest any long discourses of mine, or requirest any certain time for
prayer. But give me grace to consider, that the true worshipper may
have access to Thee at all times, and in all places, and that thy goodness is
always and everywhere present with us; but that no man can enjoy it, or
taste of thy sweetness, unless he be first awakened and encouraged by
Thee to engage in devout prayer. That I may worthily and effectually
perform this, give me thy Holy Spirit, who may work in me to will and to
do according to thy good pleasure. Amen.

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Section XII.

The Considerations Stated Above, Not Only Dispose The Heart To True Prayer,
But Also Furnish Various Useful Lessons.

It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will
answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will
hear.—Isa. 65:24.

1. The first lesson which we learn is, that God has not commanded us to
pray for his own sake, for he knoweth all things; but that we, being excited
by these means, may be led to understand that he does know all things.
God has so tender a concern for us, that he seems not to know anything,
till we reflect within ourselves, that he does indeed know it. Hence it
comes to pass, that when men do not diligently pray, they seem to think
that God does not know. And, on the contrary, when we exercise ourselves
in prayer, we soon learn that God knoweth all our necessities, and
hath numbered the very hairs of our heads before we were born. These
are thoughts that cannot enter into the hearts of those who despise the
duty of prayer.

2. Secondly. We need not apply to God, as we do to one another, with a
long account of our wants: all that we have to do is, daily to exercise
ourselves in prayer, so that the inner man may enter into the kingdom of
God.

3. Thirdly. God is (as Dr. Tauler says) a thousand times more ready to
give, than we are to receive, through prayer and hope.

4. Fourthly. God stands in no need of any external ceremonies of ours,
our watchings, fastings, or cryings, to awaken him, who “neither slumbereth
nor sleepeth.” Ps. 121:4. He not only foreknows our desires and prayers, but
even our existence (Jer. 1:5); yet, on
the other hand, the dulness and stupidity of men may by these exercises be
excited, encouraged, and instructed to consider and understand the tender
mercies of God towards all mankind.

5. Fifthly. Hence we discover the goodness, truth, and loving-kindness
of God towards all men; and, on the other hand, the blindness and unbelief,
the stupidity and unspeakable dulness of mankind towards God, who have
so great a contempt of the mercies of God, and are so backward in their
prayers and endeavors to obtain his grace.

6. Sixthly. God is righteous in all his works; and so far from his being
the author of our miseries, blindness, and ignorance, we are indeed the cause
of it ourselves; whilst, in contempt of his commands, we neglect to implore
his mercies, and beg the blessings which he has promised to bestow on all
that ask him. This is sufficient to vindicate the justice and impartiality of
God in all his dealings towards us, and to lay the blame of all our sins and
punishments upon ourselves, who are indeed the authors of both.

7. Seventhly. God is not confined to any certain time and place, but desires
to be worshipped at all times, and
in all places, in spirit and in truth.

8. These observations will rectify many mistakes, and open a man's
eyes to discover things, of which he would otherwise have been ignorant.
But though it is a shameful thing for a Christian to be ignorant of these
matters, yet it is much more so to know, and not to reduce them to
practice.

A PRAYER.

Awaken us, O God, that we may watch; draw us to Thee, and we will
run in the true way, which conducts to the kingdom of God; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.